Airlines keen on Citrix

By RICHARD WOOD

Air New Zealand is considering replacing many of its 4500 PCs with Citrix "thin client" based terminals.

The move follows a three-month pilot project at subsidiary Freedom Air that found cost savings of 50 per cent in implementation and ongoing support.

Citrix thin client technology puts Windows terminals on desktops and runs the software applications on central servers.

Both Air New Zealand and Freedom Air have been looking at the business suitability of the technology and say they are "actively sharing technology ideas and issues to ensure successful implementations at both airlines".

Air New Zealand has thin client systems operating for international access to New Zealand-based applications for executives working from home and for Australian-based sales representatives.

The airline's IT infrastructure architect, Nick Smith, said 1000 PCs were immediately suitable for replacement at the airline due to their role and location.

Beyond that, he said, there were about 4500 PCs across the organisation. Most were in New Zealand.

"These PCs have various refresh schedules depending on deployment date," he said.

"Therefore it is common for PCs to be refreshed in stages based around division.

"We are currently in the process of evaluating the refresh of PCs at the end of their lease with thin devices."

Areas already regarded as suitable include reservations, national travel centres and Air New Zealand-owned PCs at customer sites.



The Freedom project put Citrix-based Windows terminals at all its airport locations.

IT manager Laurie Diffey said the system worked out at half the cost to implement and half the support costs.

A bonus cost saving for Freedom is the ability to use the existing thin client server software licences of Air New Zealand.